Eotaby steam-engine



TEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE. i'

RICHARD F. STEVENS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 4,545, dated May 30, 184:6.v l

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD FIELD STEVENS, of the city of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Inode of confining steam or other fluid agent within a hollow or chamber extending throughout the circumference of a wheel, for the purpose of obtaining therefrom a constant rotary motion; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same.

The nature of my invention consists in providing an aperture or opening 8 extend* ing throughout the circumference of a wheel A, and communicating with a hollow or chamber 2 within, with a flexible hoop, ring or band 1, which may be so applied to the said opening as to confine steam, or other moving agent, within the hollow of the wheel, in order that its power may be communicated directly to the periphery of the wheel.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe its construction and operation. I construct a wheel A with a hollow or chamber 2 extending throughout its circumference, -which chamber may be made of any convenient form or dimentions, and make an opening 8 of suitable width extending entirely around the wheel A, and communicating with the chamber 2 within said opening 8 being made for the purpose o-f admitting a piston rod 7 into the chamber 2; I then construct a piston 6, the form of which is made to correspond with the form of the chamber 2. To this piston 6 I attach a hollow piston-rod 7, which is curved so as to correspond with the curve of the chamber 2. At a point about of the circumference of the wheel A distant from the piston 6, the rod is so bent as to pass out of the chamber 2 and through the above mentioned opening 8; and being made fast without the wheel, it makes a firm sup- .port for the piston 6; I make an opening 9 through the piston, which corresponds with the hollow extending through the piston-rod 7. I then construct a fiexible hoop, ring, or band 1 the width of which is made greater than the opening 8 in the wheel.

I make the edges or sides of the band 1 beveling, so that its inner surface is wider than its outer surface. I make the sides of the opening 8 in the wheel beveling also, so as to correspond with the beveled sides of the band 1. The diameter of the band 1 I make less than the diameter of the opening 8 in the wheel. By compressing the band 1 upon one side, after it has been placed in the chamber 2, it fits into the opening 8 upon the opposite side, thereby closing it, its inner surface corresponding with the inner surface of the chamber. I then attach two, three, or more valves to the wheel at equal distances from each other, which are made to shut across the chamber, thereby dividing the chamber 2 into separate apartments.

The` operation of the machine is as follows: The piston 6 is -made stationary by making the rod 7 fast without the wheel A; the steam or moving agent passes through the piston-rod 7 and piston 6 into the charnber 2, and by operating against one of the valves 5, which is shut across the chamber 2 it forces the wheel A around until another valve 5 has passed the piston 6 and shuts ing part is left open for the admission of the piston-rod 7. 'Ihe band l is carried around by the wheel A, and constantly operating so that the opening 8 is clear on one side of the wheel A, and constantly closed upon the op posite side.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The application of a flexible hoop, ring' or band 1 to an opening 8 communicating with a hollow or chamber 2 in the rim of a wheel A, in such a manner as to close the opening 8 in a part of its circumference and leaving it open in the remainder, thereby allowing a communication with the chamber 2 upon one side of the wheel A, while the opposite side is closed, and the moving agent confined in such a manner that its power is expended directly and constantly upon the periphery of the wheel A. The said hoop or band 1 may be made of any flexible substance; may be made of any convenient form; may be made continuous or jointed;

hoop or ring 1 above described. The hoop or v ring 1 may be applied to either side of the chamberQ in such a manner as to produce engine, or a `suction pump. The moving the desired effect, operating as a circular agent may be admitted through the piston 6, 10 Valve. or through the sides of the chamber 2.

My invention may be 4nsed on a rotary 5 engine, which may be propelled by steam, RICHARD FIELD STEVENS air, or Water, or any other fluid agent, for Witnesses: the purpose of propellno machinery; and n H. W. DURNFORD, it may also be used in a orce pump, a re LEMAN B. PITCHER. 

